


Turning Pages

by HarryTwinks (AndroidHeaven)



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:41:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndroidHeaven/pseuds/HarryTwinks
Summary: Harry notices that Eric really enjoys reading. Not being a book lover, he gets curious about Eric’s hobby.
Relationships: Eric Dier/Harry Winks
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	Turning Pages

Harry Winks never shared nor understood the love for books.

It’s not the idea of book itself that never caught his attention, and it wasn’t the stories transmitted through the pages either. He just doesn’t get how sitting in place for several hours flipping through a bunch of words could be enticing. Back in school, when Winks was forced to read study-books or literature books that he never cared about, he’d always feel this dreadful sensation taking over his mind to think that he had to read all those extensive pages of information that never brought him any fun. It was plain boring and incredibly tiresome to have his eyes glued to pages filled with sentences that didn’t make sense to him.

That is probably the main reason why he gets so curious and indignant whenever he observed someone reading. It wasn’t a judgmental type of staring when he watched someone holding a book, it was just confused. Harry understands that there are many types of hobbies directed to different types of people, not everyone shares the same tastes after all, but reading was such a common one that he couldn’t help feeling baffled at how that was a thing. He really doesn’t understand how someone can have joy from being a bookworm. Sure, the stories must be nice, it’s like watching a film but reading the script he  supposes yet sitting there looking at so many words for several hours just to get part of the plot doesn’t make any sense to him.

Winks could never stop staring whenever one of his teammates had a book around with them or when they were reading something. Ben was one of the few that liked to read a lot and would sometimes talk about books he read with Jan, who he also saw reading a couple of times.

Another person who seemed to love to read was Eric, and that man has always caught his attention, so Harry was curious about anything that he liked to do. Eric has posted a few stories on Instagram showing some books he had and read, and Winks has seen him bringing a book to the hotels sometimes as well. Harry couldn’t stop observing the blond whenever he was reading in the hotel lobby or in their shared room during their spare time, especially since Harry was puzzled at how someone would want to waste their free time reading when they could be resting or doing something else.

Maybe Harry was simply very intrigued about Eric’s habits, but he was really trying to understand his appreciation for books. Therefore, one day, he decided to get a book and read it. It’s been a real long time since he got his hands on one, the last time was probably when he was still in school, thus maybe he would understand the thrill behind such a common hobby now that he is older.

Winks went to the nearest library next to his home and decided to browse through those large bookshelves in the place as he tried to find something that would catch his attention. It took him a while to find something that didn’t spark that lazy feeling in him of having to read, but he eventually found a book that had an interesting cover and title by the romance novels section and decided on that one.

It was a small book, it hadn’t many pages and seemed to be easy to read. Harry truly didn’t want to pick those books with hundreds and hundreds of pages to start because just the sight of them alone was enough to make him want to fall asleep. Thus, he decided on that smaller one. Winks started to browse through the pages before starting to read, just to see if it would spark more curiosity in him, maybe light something in his heart that would make him concentrate on all those words.

Harry went back to the first page and glanced over the chapters index before moving to the next one. The story hadn’t started yet, there were a couple of pages on the foreword section and Harry decided to skip them and go straight to the first chapter already. He finally started reading. Winks read the first page of that chapter, then the second and the third. Then he closed the book.

There was no way he was going to read all those pages with all those tiny yet big words just to find out what the story would be about. It wasn’t enticing even after reading three pages and was already boring him out of his mind. Harry sighed, returned the book to the shelf and called it a day. Just like that, he gave up on reading a book.

Winks grew worried for a second that he was ignorant and stupid. He always heard how smart people  are the ones who read a lot of books. That makes Harry one of the stupidest persons alive. He wants to be able to like to read because he’d like to be smarter too, and maybe Eric would talk about books with him. Yet Winks simply couldn’t find any motivation to flip through those worded pages and have his eyes stuck on them to make sense out of it.

Next time Harry found Eric reading in the hotel lobby after their successful match on the same night, he decided to ask. Winks doesn’t understand but was so curious about it; about how Eric’s eyes carefully trailed over every single page with calm and patience, how sometimes the corner of his lips would perk up while staring at the book’s content, and how he would treat those books in such a gentle and caring manner.

“How do you like reading so much?” Harry carefully asked after observing Eric  reading long enough to light up his unanswered curiosity.

Dier seemed caught off guard by the question, he averted his attention to Harry who was sitting on the sofa near him.

“I don’t know.” He answered honestly with a chuckle, confused at Harry’s question. “It’s interesting and good for me, takes my mind off things.”

Winks pondered about it for a couple of seconds. He still doesn’t understand how it can be interesting, but to each their own.

“I wish I had the patience to read.” Harry confessed, staring at the book in Eric’s hands for a moment, it was something in Portuguese apparently. “I want to be smarter.”

“You don’t have to read books to be smart. There are many types of smart, Winksy.” Dier explained in a comforting way. “But it is good to read.”

Harry nodded thoughtfully. Eric does have a point.

“Still, I wish I could, but I can’t.” He chuckled slightly embarrassedly. “It’s just not for me, I guess.”

“ Of course you can.” Dier retorted. “You probably just haven’t found a book that interests you yet.”

He shrugged in response. Harry has tried to find something he enjoys but nothing entices him. It truly was pointless.

On the very next day, after they returned to London, Eric lent Harry a book. It was a small one and Dier had told  Winksy that it wasn’t difficult to read plus that he was going to like the story. The book’s genre was marked as mystery, and the content was easily captivating according to Eric. The older man suggested him to give it a try and feel free to take it in his own time, that there was no hurry for Harry to return the book.

Since Dier was the one who lent him the book and recommended that he should read it, Winks decided to put his best efforts into it. He treated the book with extreme care as it belonged to Eric and tried his best to cultivate motivation to start reading that story. Harry made himself the most comfortable that he could on his bed before opening the book, hoping that nothing takes away his concentration and will to pay attention to the worded pages.

It was difficult though. Not the book, but to pay attention. Harry was truly trying his best to read all the content, but he would grow tired after a few sentences reached his brain and then would start skipping one or two paragraphs to get on with it since everything was so slow in books. It didn’t take long before he fell asleep with the book in hands, and when Winks woke up, he noticed he had read just half a chapter.

Harry realised that he must be very stupid or lazy to be unable to read a simple book. He felt bad about it and slightly guilty since it was Dier who lent him this book expecting him to read the content. Yet Winks couldn’t do it once again. It’s not that the story was bad, he just didn’t have the patience to flip through so many pages to find out bit by bit what’s happening. Furthermore, seeing a bunch of words together makes him feel sleepy. Harry really felt pathetic and ashamed of himself, but he wasn’t going to lie to Eric that he had read the book. He doesn’t want to lie to him, but he didn’t want to disappoint Eric either. He was probably going to think that Winksy is a brainless idiot.

Next time they were sharing a hotel room, Winks brought with him the book and was  embarrassingly going to return it to Dier and let him know that he didn’t manage to read it after all.

Eric was lying on his bed fiddling with his phone while Harry was sitting on his own bed. The brunet reached for his bag and grabbed the book, gulping as he did so since he wasn’t fully prepared to receive Eric’s frustrations upon his lack of motivation to read such a simple book. Harry really doesn’t want Eric to feel unproud of him.

“Hey, uhm... Here’s your book.” He hesitantly said as he approached Eric with the book in hands.

Eric said a small ‘oh’ and gave him a smile as he set his phone aside to grab the book from his extended hands.

“Did you like it?”

Harry felt his heart breaking at that. He gulped again and flicked his eyes away for a moment before answering.

“U-Uh, I didn’t read it.” He confessed nervously. “I-I’m sorry, I  _ really  _ tried. I guess I’m just not cut out for it.”

“You don’t have to apologise.” Dier chuckled as he reassured. “It’s fine.”

Winks bit on his lower lip nervously, looking away again as he really wished that he could had read it to at least make Eric proud of him.

Dier must have noticed Harry’s unhappiness upon failing to read his book, because he was observing the brunet with thoughtful eyes and a fond look sprawled on his face as he seemed to try to figure something out.

“I have an idea.”

Harry curiously looked back to the older man at that, wondering what Eric came up with. Dier shifted on his bed, making some space on it before patting on the mattress beside him.

“Come here.” He suggested.

Despite the bed originally being made for one person only, it was large enough to fit two adults with no problem and leave enough space to be comfortable to both. Winks’ eyes were confused but intrigued as he hesitantly made his way to sit by his side on the bed.

Eric told him to lie down comfortably and Harry did so, laying his back on the mattress right next to the blond that also lied back down. They were casually sharing the bed and the pillow like it was something natural they’ve always done.

Winks was nervous and anxious but also excited about what was going to come as he realised what Dier’s idea was. As guessed, Eric carefully opened the book, went to the first page, and then he started reading the content out loud.

The words from those pages transmitted by Eric’s voice to Harry’s ears was a whole new sensation. It was a completely different feeling and experience not having to look at any tiresome words and instead just listen to them. Harry could even close his eyes if he wanted and the story would  keep reaching his brain. It was a tender and soothing feeling that took over as he was held captive by the phrases that made perfect sense to him now that he was hearing Eric emitting them.

Harry might have found it way too comforting after a while, because next thing he knows he wakes up in the next morning with hazy confusion filling his mind. He still was in Eric’s bed and the blond was right next to him, but he was awake and seemed to have showered already and was just there casually half-lying next to Harry, texting someone on his phone until he noticed that the brunet woke up.

“What happened?” Winks sleepily asked with confusion sprawled on his tired face as he looked up at Eric.

“You fell asleep last night when I was reading.”

Harry blinked. That wasn’t a dream then.

“I-I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t worry, you fell asleep only after I read a couple of chapters. So, that’s progress.” Eric chuckled as he spoke.

Winks couldn’t help but smile at that. That had been such a good idea coming from Eric.

That night in the hotel after their match, the same thing happened. Harry was curiously asking Eric what happened next in the story, so the blond laid them down together on his bed again as he read a few more pages to Winks before the brunet fell asleep once more.

Those two nights of reading alongside Eric had been so fulfilling. Harry wasn’t really reading, just listening, but he was still absorbing the content just as if he was the one looking at the words, way better even. With Eric’s voice telling him the story, he could focus and pay attention to what was happening and feel himself immersed in the book, as if he was there himself. It was a weird yet good sensation, a whole new thing for him.

Harry couldn’t help but keep asking Eric when they were going to continue the book since it was not finished yet. The brunet was very curious about what was going to happen next and looking forward to sharing the moment and experience with Dier. Much to his delight, Eric invited him over to his house for them to continue reading it since Harry was so keen to keep doing that.

When he arrived at Eric’s home, Winks was beaming with excitement and happiness, even more than Eric’s dogs that jumped happily on the brunet to greet him. Dier noticed that and how anxious the man was to continue their shared reading. He was happy that he managed to ignite such a feeling to Harry, to give him the opportunity to enjoy books as well, in his own way.

First, they snacked together since when Eric asked Harry if he had eaten already, he told him that he  actually forgot to eat that day, and the blond surely doesn’t want to let the younger man with an empty stomach and starving in his house. Afterwards they proceeded to Eric’s bedroom because that’s where he kept all his books.

Dier told Winks to lie on his bed and suggested to make himself comfortable as he fetched the book. Eric joined him on the bed and observed how Harry went closer to him despite the bed being very large, wanting to be closer to the blond as he read. When Eric started reading, Harry began to inch closer and closer to his body with each page that was gently flipped aside as the content reached their minds.

Winks was so captivated in the story that he didn’t mind how he started holding onto Eric as the man continued reading, almost snuggling him. Eric didn’t seem to mind it as well, and he had told Harry earlier to make himself comfortable after all. Harry had laid his head on Eric’s chest as he wrapped his arms around his bigger body, being between his arms that held the book up. He could even glimpse some of the words on the book with the position, but he didn’t pay attention to that and instead wanted to simply focus on Eric’s voice that transmitted them.

Those words combined were filling his ears so sweetly, reaching into his mind and heart with fervour as he took in every paragraph through sound in such a delightful manner that was accompanied by Eric’s beautiful voice. If Harry had known such a feeling could be received from listening to Dier reading something for him, he would have requested this much earlier. It was a soothing and exciting experience altogether, the way the story flowed and the mystery of what held in the next pages that Eric was going to read aloud were a pleasurable sensation. It’s almost as if he was listening to music but with even deeper meaning, something he could make sense of more easily without the need for paying attention or listening to it repeatedly.

After about an hour, Harry felt himself starting to drift off into a dreamy place, the haziness of his mind taking over his body in a soothing way. Listening to Eric’s voice had never been better, and Winks wishes he had the stamina to listen to him read for several hours, watch the sun rise and fall while listening to his precious vocal cords making noise.

“I’m starting to feel sleepy.” Harry interrupted Eric’s reading with a soft and tired voice, a smile present on his lips.

“Okay, fair enough.” Eric smiled back as he nodded, probably expecting for this to happen sooner or later since Winks fell asleep the last times that he read to him. “Then rest, we can finish the book later.”

Harry nodded at Eric’s gentle suggestion and yawned. Dier leaned to his side, placed his bookmarker on the selected page, then put the book on the nightstand before returning to Winks, allowing the younger man to continue holding tightly onto his body as his sleepiness started to consume his brain. The thought of sleeping hugging the blond to then wake up in his arms was a hopeful feeling to Harry.

“I really enjoy listening to you read, Eric.” Harry confessed with a small voice, loving how Eric was hugging him back now that his arms and hands were free to do so.

He chuckled lowly in response, noticing how Winks was starting to spill his thoughts in his hazy state of mind.

“I really enjoy reading to you, Winksy.” Eric confessed back before adding. “And how you look so blissed when you fall asleep as I read, it’s cute.”

Despite the tiredness and sleepiness being heavily present in Harry’s body, he still had enough mindset to feel his cheeks flushing upon that comment. It had sounded so intimate, especially since Eric was deeply looking into his slightly glossy eyes as he spoke, and how he remained looking deep into them when he finished speaking.

Harry felt his heart racing, the intimacy of the atmosphere revolving around them finally making sense in his brain. He broke Eric’s eye contact only to start looming his eyes over his lips, a simple and small action that revealed so many things at once, and oh how desperately Winks hoped that the older man understood what he meant by that.

And he did.

Eric carefully broke the small distance between them before pressing to Harry’s soft pink lips, a gentle kiss that revealed back what Harry had confessed first with his eyes. Winks couldn’t help smiling into the kiss as he answered it, gently and tenderly, somehow appreciating those lips caressing his own even more than he had been appreciating Eric’s voice reading to him. It was not only soothing but also fulfilling, it was as if he had finished reading thousands of books that day, that sensation of finally closing one with no need for a bookmark anymore, like he had accomplished a great deed coming from his heart.

When they parted from the kiss, they shared a smile that made Harry’s heart seem as if it was going to explode in his chest for a second. Everything was so sweet; he doesn’t know how he’s finding this feeling only now in this point of his life. It’s like everything that has ever happened pointed towards this moment.

It seemed to be obvious to Eric how mesmerised Harry was in his sleepy realisation, because the blond chuckled softly at how Harry was looking at him so fondly, he could probably even see the thoughts passing through the brunet’s mind at that moment. Harry is an open book after all, and somehow Eric is the ink that filled his every page.

“Can I pick the next book we read?”

“Of course.” Eric replied before curiously asking. “You aren’t enjoying that one?”

“No, I am. I just want to make sure we have plenty more to read together.” Harry softly stated then realised how straightforward that was. “I-If you don’t mind, that is.”

Winks clearly wants this to become a thing, and Dier clearly wants it just as much. Not just the reading, he wants them to create their own story together too.

“I don’t mind it.”

He earned a smile from Winks in response and then started caressing the brunet’s hair as he began falling asleep.

“Your voice is so soothing.” Harry confessed, his eyes blinking heavily already.

Eric chuckled again at how open about everything Winksy gets when sleepy. It was adorable.

“Sleep, Winksy.”

Harry smiled again as Eric’s tender gaze sprawled on his face slowly disappeared from his sight as his eyes closed as he drifted into the unconscious world.

Turns out books are a nice thing after all.


End file.
